University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Pikeville, KY, US
Pikeville, KY, US•Est. 2025
University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD) Dental School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
The University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine, which received CODA initial accreditation in September 2025 and welcomed its inaugural class of 54 students in June 2026, is a private dental school in the heart of Appalachian Eastern Kentucky. The school trains DMD students with an explicit mission to address the catastrophic oral health disparities of the Appalachian region — among the worst in the United States. Co-located with UPIKE's College of Osteopathic Medicine, the school offers an interprofessional health education environment in a community that desperately needs more healthcare providers. UPIKE Tanner delivers its DMD on an accelerated three-year (three calendar years) schedule, a model used by only a few US dental schools.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD).
Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and DAT required. Applications via ADEA AADSAS. Genuine commitment to Appalachian or rural oral health practice is a core admissions criterion. Letters of recommendation from a licensed dentist required. No formal in-state preference (private institution), but mission alignment is essential.
GPA median
3.52 overall / 3.46 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
9.0%
Class size
54
In-state preference
None
CASPer
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Appalachian community commitment, mission alignment, dental experience, academic achievement.
Notes
Inaugural programme — estimates are speculative and highly uncertain. Verify all data directly with UPIKE Tanner admissions and ADEA AADSAS. CODA initial accreditation granted 2025.
Specialities offered
General Dentistry, Community Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics
Interview Format
How University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD) interviews applicants.
Format
Traditional one-on-one faculty interview
Interview window
October–March
Decision date
Rolling admissions
Post-interview chances
Not yet established — inaugural class (Class of 2029) entered June 2026.
What to expect at a University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD) interview
Pikeville Dental interview day includes a traditional one-on-one faculty session of approximately 30–45 minutes, combined with a campus tour and programme overview. Pikeville is in the heart of Appalachian Kentucky — interviewers place exceptional emphasis on applicants' genuine commitment to serving rural and underserved communities in one of the US regions with the most severe oral health disparities. Questions cover manual dexterity, oral-systemic health, ADA ethics, tobacco and substance-related oral disease (highly prevalent in Pike County and surrounding Appalachian communities), and understanding of Appalachian culture and healthcare barriers.
What makes University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD) different
The University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine received CODA initial accreditation in 2025, runs an accelerated three-year DMD (three calendar years rather than four academic years — a model used by only a few US dental schools), and is among the newest dental schools in the United States. Located in Pikeville — the economic centre of Eastern Kentucky's coal country — the school exists specifically to address Appalachian Kentucky's severe oral health crisis. Pike County has among the highest rates of tooth loss in the United States. UPIKE also operates a College of Osteopathic Medicine, providing an interprofessional campus context.
Tutor insight
Pikeville Dental exists for one reason: to address Appalachian Kentucky's oral health crisis. If you do not have a genuine, demonstrable commitment to rural or underserved practice, this is not the right school for your application. If you do — especially if you have personal ties to Appalachian Kentucky or similar communities — Pikeville could be one of the most mission-aligned dental schools in the country for you. As a newly accredited programme, students in the first cohorts will be building the school's reputation; this is both a risk and an opportunity.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
405 dentistry questions inside
Interview questions matched to University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.
Hard·Panel · MMIQ1
Post-SCOTUS Holistic Review: Race, Lived Experience, and Dental School Diversity
Following the 2023 Supreme Court decisions in SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC, dental schools — like all professional schools — may no longer use race as a factor in admissions decisions. However, admissions committees may still consider how an applicant's lived experiences, including experiences shaped by race or ethnicity, have influenced their path to dentistry, motivation to serve underserved communities, and capacity to contribute to a diverse learning environment. How do you understand this distinction, and how does it affect how you present your background in your dental school application?
Likely follow-up · As a dental student interviewing with an admissions committee, how would you respond to the question: 'How has your background shaped your decision to pursue dentistry?'
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Hard·Panel · MMIQ2
The Oral-Systemic Link: Diabetes and Periodontal Disease
The relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease is now recognized as bidirectional: poorly controlled diabetes increases susceptibility to periodontal disease, and severe periodontal disease may worsen glycemic control. As a dental student entering clinical training, how do you incorporate an understanding of this bidirectional relationship into your approach to patient assessment, treatment planning, and communication with a diabetic patient who presents with active periodontal disease? How should dentists and physicians coordinate care in cases like this?
Likely follow-up · Your diabetic patient tells you their primary care doctor has never asked about their dental health. How do you approach this interdisciplinary communication gap as a dental student, and what would you do differently as a licensed dentist?
Apply to University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD) with confidence
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University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD) - Frequently asked questions
Bachelor's degree and DAT required. Applications via ADEA AADSAS. Genuine commitment to Appalachian or rural oral health practice is a core admissions criterion. Letters of recommendation from a licensed dentist required. No formal in-state preference (private institution), but mission alignment is essential.
Traditional one-on-one faculty interview. Pikeville Dental interview day includes a traditional one-on-one faculty session of approximately 30–45 minutes, combined with a campus tour and programme overview. Pikeville is in the heart of Appalachian Kentucky — interviewers place exceptional emphasis on applicants' genuine commitment to serving rural and underserved communities in one of the US regions with the most severe oral health disparities. Questions cover manual dexterity, oral-systemic health, ADA ethics, tobacco and substance-related oral disease (highly prevalent in Pike County and surrounding Appalachian communities), and understanding of Appalachian culture and healthcare barriers.
University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine (DMD) typically interviews in October–March.
Decisions are released Rolling admissions.
The University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine received CODA initial accreditation in 2025, runs an accelerated three-year DMD (three calendar years rather than four academic years — a model used by only a few US dental schools), and is among the newest dental schools in the United States. Located in Pikeville — the economic centre of Eastern Kentucky's coal country — the school exists specifically to address Appalachian Kentucky's severe oral health crisis. Pike County has among the highest rates of tooth loss in the United States. UPIKE also operates a College of Osteopathic Medicine, providing an interprofessional campus context.
